Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

'Progressing well': All Blacks captain Sam Cane gives injury update

(Photo by Dave Rowland/Getty Images)

Sam Cane has indicated he may be back playing by the time the All Blacks embark on their end-of-year tour of the United States and Europe.

ADVERTISEMENT

The All Blacks captain has been sidelined since March after he suffered a pectoral injury while playing for the Chiefs against the Blues in a Super Rugby Aotearoa match.

After almost five months of no action, the 29-year-old took to social media on Thursday to provide an update on his recovery status.

Video Spacer

Sir John Kirwan on Australia’s blown chance to end losing streak against All Blacks at Eden Park

Video Spacer

Sir John Kirwan on Australia’s blown chance to end losing streak against All Blacks at Eden Park

“Thought it was about time I gave an update as to where I’m at in my return to play journey,” Cane wrote in an Instagram post.

“Four months post shoulder reconstruction and pectoral reattachment, have finally got full range of movement so am now focusing on building back strength and function. Progressing well and aiming to be back playing in roughly two months’ time.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sam Cane (@samcane7)

A return to play in two months would coincide with the All Blacks’ northern hemisphere tour, which is scheduled to kick-off against the USA Eagles at Washington DC on October 23.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ian Foster’s side will then play successive tests against Wales in Cardiff on October 30, Italy in Rome on November 6, Ireland in Dublin on November 13 and France in Paris on November 20.

However, Foster has previously indicated that Cane could return to action via the NPC, which runs through until mid-October.

The Premiership and Championship finals are scheduled to take place on the same weekend that the All Blacks play the United States, with the semi-finals to be played the weekend beforehand.

Assuming Cane’s provincial side, Bay of Plenty, fail to make the Premiership play-offs, he may only have one or two matches, against Wellington and Counties Manukau, to earn some game time within his two-month recovery timeframe.

ADVERTISEMENT

If he isn’t able to gain exposure at provincial level before his return to the All Blacks, Cane might have to make-do with comeback fixtures against lower-level test nations such as the USA and Italy.

The added complication of Covid-19 might also thwart any chance of Cane playing provincial rugby, as the All Blacks face the prospect of potentially playing their last 2021 test on home soil this weekend.

Saturday’s clash against the Wallabies at Eden Park in Auckland will be followed by another Bledisloe Cup match in Perth on August 28.

A pause in the trans-Tasman travel bubble means the All Blacks may not return to New Zealand before their end-of-year tour due to quarantine restrictions.

According to the New Zealand Herald, New Zealand Rugby has an agreement with its players that they will only quarantine once this year, which will come following the end-of-year tour.

That means Rugby Championship matches against Argentina, which were initially scheduled to be held in Auckland and Wellington, will now be played in Australia, while tests against the Springboks in Auckland and Dunedin remain up in the air.

Should the bubble re-open in mid-September, those clashes against South Africa at Eden Park and Forsyth Barr Stadium will go ahead as planned, but the uncertainty of the virus could force the All Blacks abroad for up to three months.

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 1 hour ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

307 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING World Cup-winning halfback on Cam Roigard’s substitution in France loss World Cup-winning halfback on Cam Roigard’s substitution vs. France
Search